This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal's 33-year-old captain, is facing disciplinary proceedings after refusing to travel with the team on their pre-season tour of the USA. The French defender's decision comes after the club rejected his transfer request.
According to Olivier Giroud, a friend and former teammate of Koscielny's, the defender is 'very hurt' by the situation. Giroud, who played for Arsenal between 2012 and 2018, told the BBC: 'You cannot make a judgement when you don't have all the clues. I'm pretty sure we don't know everything in this situation.'
Giroud, who is now a striker for Chelsea and France, added: 'I hope both sides will find the best agreement.'
Koscielny joined Arsenal from Lorient in 2010 for approximately £10m and has made 353 appearances for the Premier League club. He was appointed permanent captain in 2018.
Before the Europa League final in May, Arsenal were in talks with Koscielny over a new contract. However, the club rejected his transfer request, and Koscielny is now training in London while the club considers his punishment.
Gunners boss Unai Emery has expressed his support for Koscielny, saying he still sees the defender playing a key role for the team. However, Emery would only consider sanctioning Koscielny's exit if a suitable offer arrived, which has not yet happened.
